By peter mwibanda
Intellectualspost.co.ke
NAIROBI — The government says Kenya’s economy is growing. But most Kenyans aren’t buying it — because they can’t afford to.
In glowing forecasts, the Treasury paints a picture of recovery and progress.
CS for Finance John Mbadi insists the economy is on the rise. On the ground, wallets are thinning, plates are empty and dreams are fading.
From Nairobi’s bustling matatu stages to the dusty roads of rural counties, one question echoes louder than ever: Where’s the money?
The uncomfortable truth? Kenya is being sold economic growth without a meal on the table.
Numbers Don’t Lie — But They Can Mislead
Yes, GDP is up but growth that doesn’t translate into jobs, incomes, or affordable living is little more than a political illusion. It’s GDP for the rich and hunger for the rest.
While the official narrative celebrates economic “takeoff,” ordinary citizens face stalled incomes, unaffordable basics and rising despair.
The cost of unga, fuel, rent and school fees keeps climbing. Businesses are shutting down. Unemployment is rampant.
Kenyans are not asking for statistics. They’re asking for survival.
A Broken, Crony-Driven Model
Kenya’s economic model increasingly resembles an exclusive casino a place where only the elite win.
The politically connected thrive on government contracts, tax loopholes and bailouts. Meanwhile, small businesses collapse and young people hustle without hope.
We boast of digital innovation, infrastructure megaprojects and fintech revolutions but we fail at the basics — governance, accountability, food security and equity.
This is not sustainable. It is not just. And it is certainly not progress.
Reimagining the Economy: People Before Profits
What Kenya needs is not another spreadsheet success story. We need a people-first economy — one that prioritizes dignity, jobs and shared prosperity.
The Treasury must stop treating citizens as mere data points. Economic policy should serve the mwananchi, not just impress investors.
That means investing in agriculture, manufacturing, health care and education.
It means reducing the cost of living and ending state capture by economic cartels. It means making public finance work for the public.
Because until every Kenyan feels the impact of growth not just hears about it — the promise of prosperity will remain a lie.
So yes, the economy may be rising. But if hunger is rising faster, then we must ask again: Boom for whom?
